It’s Not Done Until It’s Finished: Automate with IntegratedPLUS Finishing

Written By Nancy Chetron,
Worldwide Marketing Manager, Workflow & Solutions/Customization, Xerox Corporation
In the printing industry today, there’s a lot of talk about automation.

Certainly the idea of faster turnarounds, reduced manual labor and removal of errors would catch the attention of almost any print service provider.
But how do you go about automating the processes involved in finishing your printed output?
For many, implementing automation is a challenge. A study by InfoTrends asked print service providers to rate the level of automation in various areas of their production operation, with ‘1’ being the least automated and ’10’ being mostly automated. Finishing was cited to be the least automated by 25% of respondents, (second only to shipping/fulfillment at 26%).
Think about your business: how much more could you accomplish if you could streamline end to end processes from pre-press to printing to post-press? If you are thinking more jobs and a wider variety of applications you aren’t alone. When asked about their initiatives for the upcoming year, roughly 23% of InfoTrend respondents said their focus was to automate finishing.
So where do you begin?
How can you get to a state of automation, taking into consideration your current applications and workflow requirements?
Whether you need to finish inline, offline or both, Xerox IntegratedPLUS Finishing can provide a tightly integrated solution that can improve margins and streamline production. The solution automates production from prepress through printing and finishing with a combination of hardware, software and consulting services support. Xerox and its partners offer a broad range of finishing options to deliver solutions that boost productivity, save time and reduce costly errors, all with little or no operator involvement.
When it comes to finishing, one size does not fit all.
You may specialize in one type of application such as books or booklets or you may produce a broad range of output including booklets, manuals, brochures, catalogs, flyers, business cards and direct mail pieces.
Whatever you produce, you’re likely trying to maximize your investment, while automating as much as possible and using your labor for higher value tasks that require actual human intervention. Maybe that means less bending, lifting, cutting, stacking and entering commands at the GUI. Or maybe you’re looking for ways to make your growing shop more profitable.
Whether you want to start big or small, the IntegratedPLUS Finishing Solution gives you the flexibility to grow and change.  Experts in Professional Services can assist you by helping to configure a workflow that fits your current needs and addresses your pain points. Their consulting services include pre-testing your jobs to ensure they run as intended from start to finish.
Whether you need to stitch, bind, fold, crease, or cut…the job isn’t done until it’s finished. Streamline how you get there with one touch prepress and automatic finishing setup.
See how IntegratedPLUS can do the heavy lifting for you by creating quicker turnarounds, reducing manual labor and eliminating errors.